Author: Doug Plowman
Comment: S. Pawley in ‘Grist to the Mill’ LHA Vol 23 1988 argues that Cogglesford Mill dates back to Mid-Saxon period because it was also known as ‘Shire Mill’ (see article for full argument). I tend to disagree.
The landscape evidence does not support the idea and then there is the name. He says ‘Shire’ comes from the pre-Conquest meaning of sherrif. I suspect it could come from Old English ‘scir’ which means clear and bright as well as shire. The River Slea comes from ‘slimy, muddy stream’. The Sleaford DB mills would have been undershot because there were possibly nine in a row and very little gradient. If Cogglesford Mill was built from the start as the breast shot it is today the water would appear bright and clear as it does now.
My problem is are there any other water mills where there was a local name associated with ‘sparkling water’ or known to be called ‘shire’ or ‘sherrifs’ which are known not to be the sherrifs? (I am not certain that all my spellings of Sherrif (?) are correct.)
My place name information comes from Ekwall ‘English Place Names’.
Any thoughts and guidance would be very helpful Email: dsplowman@freeola.com
Image from Wikipedia
